Make A Wish
by MissMaryContrary
Summary: What happens when Jareth's victim isn't a confident young woman, but just a fragile and disturbed teenager? Will she manage to surprise the Goblin King, and how will she react as she starts to find signs of her predecessor in the Labyrinth? DISCONTINUED
1. Rebel Rebel

**Chapter 1**

**When you wish…**

'_I wish…'_

In a cold and bare room in the middle of a castle, a man was sat on a stone throne. His head snapped up as his eyes scanned the air, seeing something nobody else could see, hearing something nobody else could hear. He brushed a golden lock of hair out of his eyes.

_A girl shouts, but it takes all her effort. It's the sound of a girl who has no fight left anymore. 'Will you just shut up! I'm so tired… I just…I wish…I wish the Goblins would come take you away.' A single tear runs down her face. 'Right now.' _

The man sprung to his feet. 'Finally.' He said, with a sigh, and in a swirl of his ivory white cloak, he transformed into an owl and flew out of the open door.

Abby was running frantically around her house with an arm full of teddy bears and toy trucks. Her baby 'sister' wasn't a child into Barbie's, but instead trucks and cars. They were never right though, and the tiny baby Jess never kept them – they'd appear back where they'd been before Abby had run and put them in the cot, every time. There was no explanation, but Abby blamed it on exhaustion. Had she imagined that she'd put them there? It must have never happened at all. Because the cries of that demanding baby would never stop.

Abby's parents were never there. Her mother had managed to convince another unfortunate man that she was normal, and for the 6th time in 5 years Abby had pulled out the old bridesmaid dress for the lavish ceremonies that would always be held. She felt sorry this time, for poor Paul, because soon he would start noticing the tiny things her mother would try so hard to hide for the first few months; the paranoia that plagued her every waking moment; her desperation to look as young as she could at any expense, amongst may others. Abby had a theory that her negligent mother simply resented her youth. She was by no means beautiful, was Abby, but nor was she ugly. But she was always given clothes by her mother which should have belonged to either boys or the elderly, despite the wealth she gained from her divorces. She'd never felt beautiful or sexy, but she blamed herself, and her chronic lack of confidence, rather than the real cause.

This was the 6th time that Abby had been left by herself during the honeymoon. But it was worse this time. They were gone for a month, and she was left with their baby, little baby Jess.

So it was only natural, that after a couple of weeks, Abby felt her resentment growing. And it was only natural that soon Abby chose to ignore the cries of the baby. Well, God knows she tried hard to ignore the screams of that little thing, but she couldn't. She couldn't sleep, and when she did try to calm it, it just made things worse. To her, that baby summed up everything that was wrong about her life, and she soon decided enough was enough. And it was while Abby was struggling to control her full blown hatred for little baby Jess, that she finally sat down to read a book. That book was called Labyrinth and it had been given to her by one of her few friends, her next door neighbour Toby. Toby had no idea what went on in his neighbour's house, or even that a baby lived in there. Maybe, if he had known, he wouldn't have lent her the little red book that he'd passed over the fence. But he did, and she read it, and then she walked up her stairs, and she looked into the eyes of the suddenly silent baby, and said, consumed with a resolute passion for what she was saying:

'I wish…'

The baby suddenly started to cry so loudly that Abby could hardly hear her own thoughts.

'Will you just shut up! I'm so tired… I just…I wish…I wish the Goblins would come take you away.' She felt single tear run down her face. 'Right now.'

* * *

__

Sorry if it seems negative! But I thought the only reason someone would do something this horrible, knowing the consequences, is if she really hated the kid or was seriously messed up. It just so happens that this character, at the moment, is a bit of both.

_Rebel_

_x_


	2. Never Let Me Down

Chapter 2

**Time to go**

A ringing sound was running through the ears of a befuddled Goblin called Graemer. He tried to rip off the small necklace that hung round his neck but it wouldn't budge; it was the source of the ringing and it meant Graemer had to go wreak havoc, something he couldn't be bothered with today. Not that he could say no of course… not to the Goblin King.

Graemer shuffled down the staircase he was walking down. The castle was suspiciously quiet and he couldn't help but wonder if maybe he had done something wrong and was being summoned. But he was pretty sure that the necklaces were only activated in emergency situations. He took a deep breath to try and calm down and – hundreds of goblins poured out of doorways along the staircase, from other pits and tunnels direct from the labyrinth. The Guards of the Oubliettes had come. How they had found their ways back Graemer would never know – they were forgetful by nature. The Oubliettes were where you put people to forget about 'em, so they had to be forgotten, even by the Guards of the Oubliettes. So obviously, the Guards were chosen for their forgetfulness and constant confusion.

Everyone had arrived, and that could mean only one thing – a child was here.

Graemer neared the Throne room, but there was a niggling sense that he was forgetting something. As he drew closer he could hear shouting and he could guess who was doing it.

'You absolute morons! Didn't I tell you all last time that you can't all come at once?!'

Ah yes, thought Graemer, that was it.

'Here I am, wasting my time with an army of ugly creatures who won't even listen to me…well something will have to be done, I suppose…'

Graemer was being pushed through the door by the crowd and as he entered the room, he could see the source of the anger. Jareth was floating in the air, but was just touching the throne with his toes, one foot on each arm rest, giving the impression that he was somehow balancing there. In front of him dangled a goblin. Jareth was holding the unlucky goblin by the collar of his shirt (if you could call it that); he groaned and threw him onto the floor before instantly appearing again behind the unlucky goblin, taunting him.

'I say every single time, there's a rota for this type of thing. Can I trust none of you lot to organise yourselves? Must I tell you every teensy weensy thing to do?' he paused and looked around angrily. 'Well? Go then!' He kicked the goblin upwards and it joined the huge crowds trying to escape. About two thirds of the goblins darted out of the room; but Graemer was old and couldn't move that fast. He was left standing at the back of the crowd that was left in the room. He could hear the chaos going on outside as the doors slammed shut and goblins were scattered across the floor; but he was too distracted to focus on that now. The remaining goblins were jumping for joy. They were young and stupid and most probably drunk. Graemer had grown out of that now and he was waiting for what Jareth was about to say.

The Goblin King was pacing the room waiting for the young ones to quiet down. He realised that none of his obvious threats would shut up the room of bumbling imbeciles; so he simply paced the room, cracking his riding crop occasionally against his boots. They quickly became silent.

'Now you are the few stupid enough to stay… congratulations. How privileged I am.' He collapsed into his throne and lounged casually across it. Graemer noticed he kept an eye on the clock that had appeared in the corner of the room, which was currently pointing at quarter past 13. 'Now, we all know that it's rare that someone is smart enough to wish their baby sisters, or brothers, or even children away. It takes someone with brains and someone, I'm not afraid to say, someone cruel. Excellent combination if I do say so myself.' He paused to reposition himself until he was sat more regally, staring at the mischievous crowd in front of him. 'Now, I will not lose another one. It's never happened before her and it won't happen again… that girl was the only one to escape and that baby…well babies tend not to leave. Do they Graemer?'

His voice carried over the crowd and Graemer looked down at the ground. He didn't dare look Jareth in the eye. The crowd turned, in rare silence, to stare at him; he heard a few sniggers and a few mocking heckles.

Jareth's voice was loud, but slow. 'Do they, Graham?'

Graemer hated when they called him Graham. When he'd been taken he'd been Graham, but somebody had hated him enough to wish him away. And know he was part goblin, part child; part mischief and part morality. He didn't belong here. But he certainly didn't belong where his family was. Or more like where his family _were_, in Ireland, over 70 years ago.

'No,' Graemer muttered. 'No they don't.'

'Correct. So to ensure nothing like that ever, ever happens again, we're all going to stick to our stations, aren't we? And we're not going to bumble about like bloody imbeciles, are we? Instead, we'll just do whatever we have to do to get that baby…' He grinned. 'Whatever we have to do.'

_Remember guys, Jareth is evil!_

_Rebel_

_x_


	3. Changes

Chapter 3

What to do, what to do?

Jareth paced the floor of the now empty Throne room. He stopped to contemplate his next move – this was like a carefully planned game of chess that he couldn't afford to lose.

Not that he had anyone to play chess with anyway. A few ill-advised attempts to play with the Goblins had only led him to a quicker victory than usual.

He had to go get the girl soon, but for the first time in his long life, he was unsure of what he would say. He always acted with a suitably regal confidence but he knew, somehow, that it would be different this time. This one wasn't a petty teenager who'd read one too many fairytales and was looking for an easy way out. This one was cold, calculating…this one had thought this through. And she'd done it anyway.

The baby had been taken already. He had a special group of his most trustworthy subjects to do that. But he knew that it wasn't until those tiny seeds of doubt crept into Abby's mind that he could go to her… but what was unnerving him was the fact that he couldn't sense anything there. At all. No doubt, just a steely determination.

The people who made the wishes… but there was always doubt! And there was certainly never happiness – maybe briefly, but so, so briefly; those thoughts were always overcome by a profound sense of regret. Rarely, and very rarely, they would try their hand at the Labyrinth in an attempt to make up for their decision. They never came out again.

Well, of course, except that one… but that was once, and it would stay once.

But this time there was happiness. He pushed harder to find the root of the happiness – as soon as a wish was made, there was a link between him and the wisher; no matter the distance. No, there wasn't direct happiness – but a suppressed joy. She was happy, but there were so many things going on in her life that the happiness could barely break through the sadness. It lay on top of it, pressing it down, suppressing it with its weight.

And she was trying so hard. As the joy began to break free, she began to cry out. He could hear it like an echo in his ears. But her voice was unaccustomed to cries like that, and the wails soon stopped.

His reach into her subconscious didn't reach far enough to realise that at that moment, Abby had felt embarrassed. To her it was almost like there was always something watching, judging; and so she would keep quiet. But of course that something was only herself, and her own harsh judgements.

He paced nervously. To any observer he would seem his usual self, strutting around, planning his next cruel game. But inside his mind was racing. _This is unusual_, he thought… _very unusual. _He ran a hand through his golden hair. _Maybe I should just go. Maybe there'll never be doubt in her mind….maybe I'll have to put it there._

He felt the familiar squeezing sensation as he became a Snowy Owl, and he flew out of the window. He soared over his Labyrinth, taking care to look at the areas where he knew the Goblins weren't doing their jobs. He could see, even from so far up, that the goblins were taking special care this time. He could see armour being passed around and people taking their stations. He realised it wouldn't last, probably not even for the next hour, let alone 24… but he knew how first impressions counted.

That girl, Sarah…she'd seemed just like any other brat. He had been curious about her though, and maybe too lenient while she travelled through the Labyrinth, and she'd gotten too far. And when she said those words…_you have no power over me_…. He's found his world shattered. When he awoke, he was an owl, unable to transform back for weeks. But he'd soared over the Labyrinth, watched as the Goblins wasted away, watched as they wandered aimlessly, unsure of what to do. He went to Sarah's house, and saw her sickly-sweet reunion with that Hogwart and the rest. After 9 weeks things changed again; he pushed out against being an owl, as he had been trying to do for the time since his defeat, and finally felt the stretch back into his usual elegant human form.

After returning to the castle, he vowed he would do better next time. That would never, ever happen again.

As he soared he imagined the new girl, focused on her – he hardly noticed the orbs floating around him, ready to take him to where she was. He disappeared like a bubble, and then he was outside her window.

Within seconds he was in her room, and was human. And there she was, sat on her bed, head in hands… but even from the other side of the room, he could see something odd. He could see, spread across her face, a smile.

_This will be interesting… _


	4. Heroes

Chapter 4

'Hello.' Jareth said, barely keeping the curiosity out of his voice. He took a step forwards, and was surprised when the girl suddenly stood up and turned to face him.

Her eyes were piercing; he could say that straight away. She didn't look away but instead stared straight at him, staring through his blue and grey eyes; he stared back but couldn't help feeling uncomfortable.

'I knew you were real.'

Well that was normal, at least. Well, bordering on normal. _They always say they knew I was real_. He always knew they were lying though… but not this time. That conviction again. Overriding everything, that conviction. Still, he felt control coming back into his grasp and was unwilling to let it escape.

'Of course I'm real, Abby. You made a wish and I made it come true – there's nothing unfair about it.'

And quickly in response: 'I never said it was unfair.'

Her eyes left his at last – instead they searched his face, searching for a sign of what was going to happen, inspecting him slowly. Was he was about to tell her she had to have Jess back? He accepted her gaze and glanced around her room. It was small, very small… and dark. Yes, it was very dark. Even though it was night, she had no lamps or lights to see by. Only the moonlight pouring through the window illuminated the scene.

'Are you taking me there? Do we go now?'

He nodded calmly. Something unusual was running through her mind, he could sense it. What would she say?

'I want to go now. I want to go get lost… you keep Jess right?'

That hit him like a blow to the head. She didn't want it back? She wanted to come to the Labyrinth? It was wrong; it was not the way things were meant to go. He watched as she brushed a strand of chocolate brown hair out her eyes. It was falling around her face like a curtain, shielding her from inspection from the outside world. But for him she had brushed it away. He was her chance for escape.

'What happens once the time has passed?' she yelled at him, before collapsing into giggles. She stopped and walked closer to him; he took a step backwards, staying silent. Her grin reappeared and she giggled under her breath.

She ran her hands in front of her eyes, entranced by her fingers waving in the air. She stepped lightly backwards towards the door, still staring complacently at her fingertips moving so slowly. Her head swayed from side to side, humming a tune Jareth had never heard before. She began to mumble it under her breath, and in her small room, she was soon dancing, slow and with an odd grace as she spun around slowly, her eyes glassy…

'I've got sunshine, in a bag… I'm useless, but not for long, my future it's coming on…'

She giggled as she spun, staring at her hands, a blur in front of her. Now she knew she was insane, she just felt it. It had finally happened. Now glamorous heroes with huge blonde hair and flowing cloaks appeared to solve her problems, to take them away. There was no real threat, only the threat of getting lost, lost in the Labyrinth, and that was a blessing not a curse. If this is insanity… then she welcomed it.

She stopped suddenly and turned to face him. He stared back at her, his eyebrows furrowed, concerned etched on his face.

'Do we go now?' she whispered again. She was hoping so much he would take her.

'Step outside,' he said, regaining composure. He held out his gloved hand and she grabbed it, taking a few short steps across her bedroom, ready to leave it forever. She turned and looked back.

Her bed had no teddy bears or dolls on it… the few she's had were Jess's now. They had been Jess's, anyway. Only a grey and threadbare blanket stretched across the bed gave it any personality. Over to the left was her wardrobe, home of baggy t-shirts and fraying trousers. By that was her chest of drawers, the biggest she could fit in her room, and on top of that were only a few objects; a scarf she'd bought when her mother wasn't looking when they last went into town; a small hand held mirror and a photo of Jess that her mother had put there the night before she left for her honeymoon.

She stepped back towards the photo and stared at the grinning face staring back at her. What was that feeling in her stomach? Regret? No… it was hatred. That was it. She grabbed the frame with all her force and hurled it at her wardrobe, satisfied as she heard the tinkle of breaking glass and the cracking of her crappy wardrobe doors. She grabbed the scarf, tying it around her neck like she'd seen the girl's at the bus stop do; and slid the mirror into her back pocket. She was wearing a long flowing skirt that came down to her shins, and a baggy Joy Division t-shirt that was tucked into the skirt. They were her favourite clothes, and she's put them on when she discovered Jess had gone.

She wasn't afraid as she stepped over the window pane, and she knew she wouldn't fall; not just because Jareth was already there, helping her over, but just because she knew. She knew she wasn't going to fall… not just yet.

They were on a barren and desolate hill, staring out over the most beautiful thing Abby had ever seen.

'Are you sure you want to go in there?' he whispered in her ear, lifting a lock of her hair out of the way. 'It's dark and lonely in there…' She stared out without replying. She was too busy staring at something she's dreamt of since Toby handed her that little red book, and there it was… a seemingly endless maze, twisting and turning as far as the eye could see. And right over, past that, there was a maze of hedges, and past that…even more. There was so much to see she could hardly bare to look. Over there in the distance she could see the blue glimmer of water, and over there she could hear shouts and clashing metal. And when she looked straight on she could see the castle. The strange castle in the middle of the shambolic but beautiful Labyrinth, spreading up to touch the sky, going as far up as the Labyrinth went out.

'Yes. Yes I'm sure.'

The Goblin King felt a pang of relief. At last, she wanted to save her sister. Didn't she? He walked in front of her, staring out at his kingdom.

'I have got some terms though…'

He turned to face her again. There was that grin, that strangely alluring grin. He wouldn't go as far as to say he liked her, but he was beginning to respect her courage.

Abby was surprised by her own bravery. Here she was, in a make believe world that she'd built up for herself, talking to her superhero like he meant nothing. But even if he had saved her from that life that was now firmly in her past, it didn't mean she couldn't take advantage of this unique opportunity. At last, as she stumbled towards insanity, everything seemed to be coming together. _Finally, someone let me out of my cage…_

'I don't want her back. That's number one. You can't make me take her back. I won't.' She looked down and nudged a rock with her foot, before looking straight back up at him. 'I won't take her back. You could put her in my arms and tell me to leave and I wouldn't take her.'

Jareth had thought she couldn't surprise him anymore – but she managed. He nodded slowly, questioningly, his face drawn together in doubt.

'Secondly… if – no, I mean, when – when I make it to that castle, I'm not leaving. You are.'

He burst out laughing immediately. 'You know, little girl, you have surprised me. And that's hard to do. I'll give you that.' He took a seat on a nearby log; it was rotting and the leaves were faded with decay, but he spread out across it none the less. 'What incentives could you give me for that? You think I'd invite you to rule this place? My Kingdom? Now why would I possibly do that?'

'No no, that's not what I mean.' she muttered. She paced by the side of the tree trunk, running her fingers along it.

'Just let me take the kids.'

_I found this one quite difficult to write, and I'm not sure if it flows properly... the character's changed a bit but it's an extraordinary situation, she's a bit amazed that her sister's gone... I figured she's have a bit of an adrenaline boost at this point in the story. So don't worry, she's not suddenly become a confident super woman!!_

_Rebel  
x_


	5. Let's Dance

**Chapter 5**

_Giving chances..._

'Pardon??' Jareth could safely say he hadn't been that shocked many times before. He liked to take time to know the people who wanted his services; at least well enough that he could predict their every move. This girl challenged everything he believed the people of this world to be; cowards, who would do anything to avoid the responsibility forced on them. This one did it for another reason; something he couldn't yet place.

'Your castle, your… your Labyrinth.' She whispered, staring at the floor. 'It must take time to come running after selfish children like me. You… or do you have to do it yourself? Is it a law?' Jareth studied the look of despair that flicked across her eyes as she looked straight at him, followed by hope and a pleading gaze.

'No…' he replied hesitantly. 'It's just done-'

'Then you can let me! Please!' She clenched her eyes shut to hold in the tear that threatened to reveal her feelings, but she couldn't restrain it; it tumbled down her cheek like a raindrop on glass.

Abby found it difficult to handle the humiliation of showing her true feelings to the Goblin King, but forced herself to continue. Her foot crunched against a fallen tree branch as she stepped closer to him.

'Please for just one month.'

Jareth was torn; it was an interesting idea. How would it work? She'd have to be given magic, of course, a long and complicated process. She'd maybe get one chance to prove herself in a month, maybe two… and if he lost one of those children because of the girl's foolish mistakes… he couldn't risk it. Could he?

He glanced at her again, that dark face staring, analysing him. She wouldn't lose them. He highly doubted it, anyway. She may be shy, nervous, but she had an aura about her that suggested her cunning nature; her ability to deceive or distort the truth just enough to convince someone of anything. If those skills were allowed to develop… maybe, just maybe, it would work. It could work.

But he was cautious. He was always on guard now, watching, observing, analysing, planning. But he made a decision.

'One month. You have a month-'

Abby turned to look away, towards the Labyrinth which spread in front of her; the castle in the middle like a spider in a web.

'Do I have to fight through the Labyrinth, _fight my way to the Goblin Castle_…' she asked.

'Of course not. You're my employee now.' And with a curve of his hand, a crystal orb appeared. He toyed with it in his fingers for a while, before grinning. Abby only had time to notice one slight change in colour, the crystal changing from a deep green to a shimmering black, before she saw it travel through the air and hit her shoulder. It seemed to burst and she felt herself being pulled apart but constrained by the bubble that had obviously reformed. She could see nothing, feel nothing, she just _was_; and now she could feel movement.

Jareth watched it float slowly past before blowing it away, making it spin faster past the high walls of the Labyrinth and beyond.

He smiled a sardonic grin. 'But maybe I'll give you a little peak of it before you start.'

* * *

_Brief but important._

_Rebelrebel_


	6. Telling Lies

**Chapter 6**

_Sweet little things..._

Abby found herself being pulled back together a few seconds later; a blur of colours appeared and she could see again. She landed with a thud on a cobbled square, surrounded by hedges. There were random gaps in the hedge, doorways into the maze; she realised she was going to have to traverse the Labyrinth after all.

Clambering to her feet Abby looked around her at the clear blue sky that had seemed an orange haze just a moment ago. She could just about see the turrets of the castle above the tall green walls that enclosed her; so she made a decision to head that way, straight ahead. She walked across the cobbles towards the path that she hoped would lead her to the castle, and towards her destiny.

Jareth's almost feline form stretched across his throne as he yawned and stretched his muscles. He hadn't warned his subjects of their visitor yet; though he suspected they would need it if they ever came up against her. No, it was too perfect a chance to see if his guards were really up to scratch. He stood to stare out of the large window in front of him. _And to see if she is too_.

Abby was beginning to recognise the difficulty of the Labyrinth. She'd been walking for what she guessed was about half an hour but she felt as if she was back where she started. _Well,_ she mused, _isn't that the point of a Labyrinth? To get lost?_ She didn't know what to do next – just keep on walking? Or try and climb over the hedges? She looked up at the one nearest to her; _not very likely_,she thought. She collapsed against it, sliding down to the ground, feeling the tough bristles scrape down her back. She ran a finger along the tiled surface of the floor and stared ahead, wondering what she should do. She knew she couldn't give up. It would prove that she was incapable of handling this world and she knew she had to master it. But it was hard, so hard.

She slid down further until she was lying down completely and rolled over to look under the hedge. If she hadn't already believed so completely in this world she may have been surprised; as when she looked, she saw two tiny people underneath.

They were dressed in flowing silks; one in a deep blue and one in turquoise. And if it hadn't been for their lack of wings Abby would have leapt, understandably, to the conclusion that they were fairies. One was sat up straight and staring into Abby's staring eyes; the other was stretched across something that Abby couldn't quite see. The other, which appeared to be a boy, turned away and started prodding the other with his foot. The sleeping girl slapped it away and made a tiny squeaking noise, well suited to such a tiny creature. She then sat up quickly, rolling off whatever she was laid across, and turned with wide eyes to look at Abby. After a moment's silence, they began to talk.

"Hello," said the little man in a gruff and entirely unexpected tone. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

"Oh…" whispered Abby, careful not to deafen the tiny things. "Just looking for a way to the castle. Who are you?"

"I," answered the man, "am Dorian, and this is my good friend Fig. We are proud fairies miss." With that said the tiny man bared his sharp teeth and hissed. Abby drew her hands further back across the floor fearing a bite.

"Fairies? But you have no wings."

The little girl piped up, her soft voice ringing sweetly in Abby's ears: "Well of course we know that, you silly girl!" She grinned. "That monster took them away, with that spray machine. The ugly little thing.'

"Oh dear." Abby whispered sincerely. She didn't know what to say. "What's that?" she asked, glancing at the thing the two fairies seemed to be protecting. Her back was starting to hurt now from lying in such a strange position on the floor, but she wanted to ask.

"This is something very special," said Dorian, full of self-importance. Abby was beginning to dislike the little creatures and was aware that she could get rid of them with the swipe of one hand; but she held back. "It's what we 'ope to get our wings back with. A tile it is." The girl pushed it forward, further out of the shade provided by the bottom of the hedge. Abby could see it now; identical to the reddish tiles that paved the floor, except for a faded marking. A little red arrow, nearly washed away. She peered closer; what was it drawn in? Lipstick, that was it. Fig spoke again.

"We've heard Hoggle likes things like this. We thought we'd give him the opportunity to give us our wings back and offer him this in fair exchange, to add to his collection of things to do with _her_." The two beings glanced at each other after this word; Abby thought it best not to ask. She was really uncomfortable now.

Dorian interrupted again – "And if he doesn't give us it all fair like, we'll take 'em by force! Thinking he can just spray us and then collect our wings, it's a disgrace to the name of Labyrinth!" He grinned. "By force, I reckon, but her Ladyship here thinks we can do better."

"Right…' sighed Abby, her eyebrows burrowed in frustration. "I've got to go, but I don't suppose you know the way to the Castle do you?'

"Why do you want to go there?" cried Fig, scurrying closer to her face. "Wait, who are you? Where are you from?"

"One of the towns outside the Labyrinth," Abby lied smoothly, weaving together her ideas of this land from what she'd read. She could easily trick the fairies. "I'm of the Fae."

"Well you don't look it, but I'll take your word for it. I can't tell you exactly how to get there, but I know you need to head towards it, don't take your eyes off it for a second, that's when it gets you in this part of the maze. Just keep walking and you'll find yourself in the Lakes, and that's where my knowledge of this place ends. Good luck, giant." With that they both turned away.

"Thanks." Abby smiled. A thought flitted through her head – how many times had she smiled today? Compared to so many months of frowns before hand? It would be laughter next. She felt butterflies in her stomach at the very prospect. She rolled of her stomach and onto her feet; out of the corner of her eye she saw the tile being dragged back under the hedge. She raised her chin so she could see the castle, and started to stride forwards, ignoring the green blockade she was about to walk into. She was getting nearer, she could see, but she continued to stare ahead at the castle, and just as the hesitation was building and she was beginning to rethink her decision, she felt a brief cold sensation and a brush of branches. She was through! She was careful not to take her eyes from the castle though; she couldn't afford to make a single mistake here.

So that was it. She just had to walk in a straight line… well, she should have known it would be something that simple. This place was going to be full of surprises.


End file.
